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Pointing the finger to the democrats, or to the republicans, I don't see the point because after 9/11 all of America was in revenge mode and we bought the story under emotion and a surge of patriotism and after a tragedy clear minds often don't work. Yes all Americans for the most part said yes to retribution.
The best thing we as a nation can do is learn from the past and apply it to the future. Step back next time before letting emotion and nationalism take over and make sure to think out the long term consequences and that the action taken will have the desired outcome. Most Americans including me knew nothing much about the Iraqi people or culture. We assumed because we looked at our own glory, that they were like us and wanted to be "saved".
Sure some Iraqis are glad for America's action, but obviously their culture is more complex than just "wanting democracy" and our actions may have done more harm than good in the long term both for them and for us.
And then there is the fact that the idea of bringing freedom to Iraq wasn't the real purpose by some, but it sold the war or sugar coated it when the mistakes surfaced. I say this because some who support what we did in Iraq say we were the good guys from bringing down a dictator who hurt his own people yet the same people in the case of Egypt support keeping a dictator even if he harms his own people because it is better than the "alternative". The alternative probably meaning the U.S.A loosing influence.
No, I retired from the Marines in 1989, but my Son did three tours in Iraq as a Lance Corporal.
Wow. 3 tours as an LC? Ouch! That's tough duty as it is, but doing it when you're near the bottom of the totem pole rankwise is really tough. Especially if he's in Combat-Arms. Good for him...he's got balls.
Wow. 3 tours as an LC? Ouch! That's tough duty as it is, but doing it when you're near the bottom of the totem pole rankwise is really tough. Especially if he's in Combat-Arms. Good for him...he's got balls.
Yea, but that's how it usually is. You don't want your team to go somewhere and leave you out. When i was in the Army, i was the same way. Even though i don't believe in these wars and think they're a colossal waste of time, resources, and most importantly, LIVES, if i was on active duty i'd be chomping at the bit to get in the action because i always wanted to be with my team. And i'm easily the biggest hippie on C-D!
Yep another smart move which just cost us more and more money in the long run, thanks for bringing that up
Of course, one must think a little deeper to understand the ways of the world.
Things change, allies change, enemies change.
Think deeper....
Who'd have forecast that the Muslim people we helped fend-off a hostile take-over of their Country (Afghanistan) by the Soviets in one decade would turn around and bite the hand that helped them in the next?
That's not OUR fault. It's also not our fault that our once ally against Hitler turned sour and became our enemy later.
Who'd have forecast that the nation that bombed Pearl Harbour would later become one of our best allies?
Sometimes things work out for the better and sometimes not. Many times, it's not from anything you did right or wrong either.
Yea, but that's how it usually is. You don't want your team to go somewhere and leave you out. When i was in the Army, i was the same way. Even though i don't believe in these wars and think they're a colossal waste of time, resources, and most importantly, LIVES, if i was on active duty i'd be chomping at the bit to get in the action because i always wanted to be with my team. And i'm easily the biggest hippie on C-D!
Yep......my Wife wasn't too keen on him volunteering to go back there (especially after Fallujah), but I couldn't fault him because I knew the urge having done close to 4 years in Nam.
And oil revenues will pay for that liberation........................................ .
I believe that was the plan initially. Then the UN decided that since they didn't like our war, we couldn't use those profits.
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